1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to footwear and more particularly to a water sock.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with water activities comes the risk of falling on slippery surfaces. The problem with slipping on wet surfaces is especially acute for children, seniors and anyone performing aquatic activities for recreational or therapeutic use. To overcome this problem, water shoes have been used in conjunction with various water related activities. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,310,894 describes a non-slip shower shoe. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,565 describes an aquatic exercise shoe with drainage holes and elastic straps to secure the shoe to the wearer's foot.
A water shoe generally accumulates and absorbs water that creates resistance and obstructs the natural motion of the wearer's foot, which makes swimming or kicking difficult and sometimes impossible for children, for example. Additionally, a water shoe may not fit the wearer's foot securely, which may lead to slipping. Further, the wearer does not have the ability to feel the slippery surface below and, therefore, fails to receive any tactile feedback that the wearer may take into account in navigating a slippery surface. Finally, while a water shoe is sufficient for protecting the foot from directly contacting fungus, during showering, for example, the foot is neglected.
Although prior art water shoes fulfill their specific objectives, the need remains for a non-slip device effective in diminishing the risk of slipping without hindering the natural motion of the foot during the respective water activity. Additionally, within a medical environment, the need remains for an anti-microbial device that allows a patient to safely walk to the shower, remain on their feet while showering, and safely get back to the hospital bed, for example, without ever being removed, all while providing a non-slip sole to diminish the risk of slipping and having anti-microbial properties which serve as a deterrent from bacteria, odor, and fungus.